Folding crate



(No Model.)

L. PALMER.

FOLDING CRATE.

Patented Oct. 5,1897.

llllllllllllll Tm: noms PETERS co. Puma-urns., wAsmNs-rcu. o cv ilnrrnnTA-Tns AtrnNtr LAFAYE'FE PALMER, OF HARRISVBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

FOLDING CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 591,005, dated Getober5, 1897. Application led Tune 29, 1896. `Serial No.59'7,323. (No model.)

To @ZZ-whom t ntcty'colwcrn:

Be it known L11-atl, LAFAYETTE PALMER, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of Harrisburg, Dauphin county, State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement. in FoldingCrates, which improvement is fully set forth in the followingspecification and accompanying drawings.

My invention consists of a crate for eggs, berries, dce., the same beingadapted to be folded, and having a lid which may be iitted on the bodyof the crate in either the folded or unfolded condition of the same andretained thereon, the construction of parts being hereinafter set forth.

Figure l represents a perspective view of a folding crateembodyingmyinvention. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal vertical sectionthereof on line m fr, Fig. l. Fig. 3 represents a transverse verticalsection thereof Online je] y, Fig. 2. Fig. lrepresents a longitudinalvertical section of the crate in folded condition.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the body of the crate, the sameconsisting of thesides l, ends C, and bottom D. The sidesB consist ofthe stationary parts E, which rise from the bottom D, and the swingingparts F, which are hinged to said parts E.

The ends Cv consist of the stationary parts G, which rise from thebottom D, and the swinging parts Il, which are hinged to said parts G.

J designates the lid, which,has a depending iiange K, adapted to embracethe 'upper part of the body and depends below the top edge thereof. Y

On the sides of the swinging parts H of the end C are eyes L, and on thesides of the stationary parts G of said end are eyes M, which latter arelocated below the 'former and so spaced that the depending hook N on thelid J may engage with either of said eyes according to the folded orunfolded condition of the crate. l

On the ends and sides and the corners of the body are catches Pand eyesQ which connect said parts when the box is unfolded or in operativecondition and prevent closing of the hinges orswin gin g parts H F ofsaid sides.

It will be seen that the body of the box is ,in operative condition` inFig. l, andit may be filled, after which the lid is applied and securedin position by the fastenin gs N and L.

When the box is empty and to be folded, the lid is unfastened andremoved and the catches P and eyes Q are disconnected. The hinged endportions are then folded down and the hinged side portions folded`there- Over, as will be seen in Fig. 4. Thelid is now tted over thefolded vbody and the latches N are engaged with the lower eye M, thuskeeping the partsin compact form, preventing opening of the box, andplacing the device in most contracted condition fortransportation,storage, (te. ,and economy of space. In order to permitthe side portions to fold down to full extent or comparatively flat, thesides of the end portions H are cut away or recessed, as at R, formingcavities which receive the hinges of said side portionsF.

It will be noticed that the flange or rim K projects from the sides ofthe body N, so that` its lower edge forms shoulders which may be engagedby the fingers as handles for the box in folded or unfolded condition.

It will also be noticed that the stationary portions of the ends andsides extend some distance above the bottom of the crate, those of thesides being higher than those of the ends, so that the former may befolded on the latter, and when the portions are folded a space existsbelow the same, forming a storage-chamber Svfor empty egg-racks,partitions, dac., it being noticed in Fig. 4 that the partition T, whichis employed in Figs. 1 and 2 to separate the body of the box intocompartments, has been removed and placed in the storage-chamber S,where the catches P enter recesses in said partition T, so that the endsCare permitted to fold flaton said partition and the latter is preventedfrom shifting and thus as said partition presses against the emptyegg-racks the latter held firmly on the bottom of the crate; but whenthe same is in operative position it also serves as .a brace for thesides of the body between the ends thereof toprevent the same from beingforced in. y

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Let- IOO l. A folding crate consisting of a bottom, stationaryside and end parts, folding side and end pieces hinged to saidstationary parts, a lid and a removable partition, said stationary endparts being of less height than said side stationary parts, and saidhinged end pieces having therein the recesses B adapted to receive thehinges of the side pieces when folded said partition having recesses forthe catches of the folding side and end pieces.

2. A folding crate consisting of the bottom D, the sides B, a lid J andends C, said sides being formed of the stationary parts E connected withsaid bottom and the folding parts F, hinged to said parts E, the ends Cbeing formed of the stationary parts Gr connected with said bottom D andthe folding parts H hinged to said parts G, the said parts E being ofgreater height than said parts G, and said folding parts H havingrecesses in their ends to receive the projecting portions of the hingeson the parts F when said parts are folded, hooks 0n the ends of said lidand eyes on the folding and stationary portion of said ends adapted tobe engaged by said hooks as the box is in extended or folded positionrespectively in combination With a partition for said body, the samehaving recesses to receive the catches of the folding side and end partsof the body.

LAFAYETTE PALMER. Vitnesses:

GEORGE GERHART, MARY E. HAUER.

